FAQ

Billing:

Your bill is due upon receipt and is considered late one day after your bill due date. Late payments are assessed a 5% penalty fee. A five-day grace period will be automatically allowed on the account, and a delinquent notice will be mailed to confirm the last date to pay prior to possible suspension of services.

Local Office: Payment may be made at your local branch office in cash, check, and money order with one of our representatives, or by debit or credit card (2.45% applicable fee applies) at one of the credit card terminals located in the DEMCO office lobbies.

By Phone: You can pay your bill over the phone with your credit or debit card. Call our Customer Service Center between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Have your credit card and account number handy to speed the process when speaking to a representative. Or you can use the automated bill payment option at any time by contacting our Customer Service Center at (225) 261-1177 or (800) 262-1170. Choose option 2 and follow the voice prompts.

By Bank Draft: To apply online visit www.demco.org and select Account Services, then select the Bank Draft option. Application can also be made by mail or by visiting one of our DEMCO offices. Our customer service representatives will be happy to assist you with any questions that you might have.

Alternate Payment Locations: For a list of approved alternate payment sites, go to About Us/Payment Locations. Please note that using an alternate off-site payment facility may delay receipt of your payment by 1 to 3 business days; however, your account will be credited for the date that it was paid at the alternate site.

If you have never created a password, a computer generated password is located on the bottom of your electric bill below the electricity graph. The password is case sensitive and must be entered the way it is presented on your bill. Once you use this password for the first time, you will be prompted to change the password. Once you choose a password, it will no longer be shown on your bill.

Your account number is printed on your bill. You must enter this number to access information on this site. See the Pay Online Now page located at www.demco.org for more detailed information.

You can log on to view your current account balance online and access up to twelve months account history and bill copies. To log on to your account, go to the log on page located under Member Services/Payment Options, Pay Online Now.

There are a number of factors that influence the total amount due on your electric bill. Here are some of the first things to check:

Compare the usage from the same month last year to the current month. You can check last year’s usage by examining the comparisons section of your bill or by accessing your account online.

Check the number of days of service on your bill. Are there more days between readings than on your previous bills?

Check for any charges beyond the current electric service on the bill. Have past due amounts been added to the total? Are there miscellaneous charges added to the bill? Have any outdoor lighting or Strikesafe™ charges been added?

Take note if any of your appliances that are considered to be large power users in your home have been running more than normal or in need of servicing. For example, the air conditioner in hot weather or the heating system in cold weather may need servicing. Check the water heater temperature setting, and take note when you have extra dishes, laundry, baths and showers.

Always ensure that your home has proper insulation and air leaks are minimized.

If you still have questions about your bill, contact a customer service representative at (225) 261-1177 or(800) 262-1170.

Service:

Applications to connect service can be made by phone, in the office, or online at www.demco.org. The applicant will be required to furnish personal information, billing information, and personal identification numbers as well as information pertinent to the address for which the connection applies. All applications for service will be subject to a credit check to determine if a security deposit is required. If applicable, receipt of permits and deposits is required in advance of service. For further information, please contact a customer service representative at (225) 261-1177 or (800) 262-1170.

Each parish or city sets their own ordinance pertaining to building and electrical inspections. In some areas, the LouisianaState Health Department will also require a separate permit and inspection. The requirements for these inspections will vary with the parish or city in which you live. Our Customer Service Department will inform you at the time of application if a permit is required for the area or address that you are moving to. It is important to note that in most parishes the permit specifically must be issued with the same name that the utility account is listed in.

Louisiana One Call. This allows you to notify any operators of underground utilities or facilities in your area before you dig or demolish a structure. The service is free to everyone, including homeowners and contractors alike. Louisiana One Call can be reached by dialing 811 on your phone or by goingonline towww.laonecall.com.

The easiest and quickest way to report your street light or security light problem is through our website. Simply go to www.demco.org and click on the Member Services tab. There you will find links to report your outage. You can also make a report by contacting a customer service representative at (225) 261-1177 or (800) 262-1170. You can also make a report online by e-mailing us at customersupport@demco.org, or by logging onto your DEMCO account and using the contact support link there.

In cases where homes are equipped with an external breaker, our connector will turn the external breaker to the OFF position for safety once the meter is connected. Members should always turn their internal breakers to the OFF position for safety prior to connection. Once connected, check your inside breaker panel (and any external main breakerif your home is equipped with one) to ensure that all breakers are in the ON position. If you do not receive power once all breakers are in the ON position, or if you are not sure where to locate the breakers in your home, please contact DEMCO for assistance to check for any problems.

Miscellaneous:

On your first bill from DEMCO a one-time $5.00 membership fee will be charged on your first or primary account. If you maintain the primary account and add additional accounts, you will not pay another membership fee. DEMCO is a member-owned cooperative made up of the active customers, known as members, and is governed by an elected board of directors. This fee establishes you as a member which entitles you a ballot to elect your board member to represent your area. Upon termination of your service with DEMCO, the $5.00 membership fee will be refunded on your final bill and your membership will end.

Operation Roundup® is an assistance program operated separately from DEMCO. The program derives its funds from participating members who choose to contribute. For participating members, monthly bills will be rounded up to the nearest whole dollar. These few remaining cents each month go to into a fund that is handled and dispersed by the DEMCO Foundation. Assistance from the DEMCO Foundation is available to DEMCO members only through qualifying applications. These funds are allocated for assistance other than electric bills. Operation Roundup® is voluntary and can be started or stopped at any time the member chooses. For more information visit www.demco.org and click the DEMCO Foundation navigation link under the Community tab.